


When Patterns are Broken, New Worlds Emerge.

by Lady Angel (dameange)



Series: Cupid's Arrow [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-06
Updated: 2010-09-06
Packaged: 2017-10-11 12:55:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/112646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dameange/pseuds/Lady%20Angel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cupid's Arrow. What a cutesy name for something that changed life as they knew it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Patterns are Broken, New Worlds Emerge.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: A GREAT BIG HUMUNGOUS thank you to Sarah. Sarah, you are the best morale booster I have ever met. Thank you for your enthusiasm and your encouragement. They were just what I needed to finish this story. Thank you.
> 
> Another GREAT BIG HUMUNGOUS thank you patch_tank for her wonderful betaing skills. She found time in her busy schedule to beta this story for me at the last minute and I thank her for that. If there's a mistake, it's mine.
> 
> Also, thank you to the fabulous readers and writers at the ficfinishing livejournal community, especially Emma de Marais.

  
Prologue

  
When Dr. Susan Whitlock created Cupid's Arrow it wasn't supposed to be for anything but private use. There was another post-doctoral research assistant that she'd been eying for months now but he was oblivious to her attention. She wasn't even trying to make a "happily forever after" potion. All she wanted was to lower his, and her, inhibitions.

  
She had no idea what her nanites could and would do.

She also had no idea who would use them and how.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Chapter 1

Hotchner sighed, leaning back into his chair, then spun to watch his team in the bullpen. He was grateful for the lull between cases but simultaneously hated the available time to dwell upon the disaster of his marriage to, then divorce from, Haley. But the lull also gave him a chance to visit his son. He was mainly grateful on behalf of his overworked team. Currently, he could see J.J. in Rossi's office, probably sifting through all of the requests to select their next case. He could also see Morgan and Prentiss in the conference room across from his office. They had drawn the short straws and were organizing all of the information and papers from their last case. He didn't see Reid but knew he was somewhere on their floor. He was also sure Garcia was in her domain.

  
He inhaled deeply, getting out of his chair with the sudden urge to move. He stopped in front of the window, smiling a little when he saw Reid coming out of the break room, mug in hand. The youngest member of his team was cautiously blowing across the steaming liquid as he navigated the maze of desks towards his own. A quick, gazelle-graceful hand darted out to grab a sheaf of papers before Reid turned towards his office. Hotchner smiled, knowing that Reid would be turning in his report early, as always, and perfectly done, as always. He liked that about the younger man. Liked that he didn't have to worry that his report would be overly meticulous like Prentiss' or bare bones like Rossi and Morgan's.

  
Hotchner also like the way Reid moved, at first glimpse awkward but in reality graceful, if you watched carefully enough. As a profiler, it was his job to watch closely and watching Reid was definitely not a hardship. Reid's hair was also something that caught his attention. Always nervously pushed behind his ears but also always looking soft and touchable.

  
A quick movie reel of images flashed through his mind: soft brown hair brushing enticingly against that smooth jaw line, his own large hand carded through it and the curls tickling the back of his hand, how easy it would be to control their kisses with his fingers speared through that hair.

  
The images were so utterly enticing; Hotchner had to find out if the reality would match the fantasy. Reid had barely stepped in front of his door when he yanked it opened. Reid opened his mouth but squeaked as Hotchner wrapped a big hand around his hand and dragged him up against his hard body. The report and coffee-filled mug fell to the floor, forgotten under the onslaught of unexpected kisses.

  
Hotchner groaned in surprise. Reid's soft pink mouth was even sweeter than he had thought and that hair was just as soft as his imagination. The little whimpers and gasps that he swallowed through their kisses were even softer, sweeter, and erotic as hell. So was the hard slim cock rubbing against his own through corduroy and microfiber.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
"The next time Reid says 'pick a card,' remind me not to."

Morgan laughed as Prentiss grumbled, both of them still working on organizing and boxing up the mess from the last case. "Yeah, well . . ."

Prentiss looked up when he didn't finish his sentence. "Morgan?"

Morgan was staring slack-jawed through the conference room window.

She turned. The papers dropped unheeded to the floor. "Oh my God!"

Nerdy, virginal, trouble-magnet Spencer Reid was climbing up by-the-book Aaron Hotchner's body. Just as shocking, Hotchner was helping him. One large hand grabbing his ass, the other rucking up Reid's shirt and sweater combo revealing the pale skin of his back. Their mouths were fused together in what she could tell from across the bullpen was one hell of a kiss.

Prentiss felt moist heat build as she continued to watch them. The two men continued to devour each other, their efforts hampered by their need for more skin. Her boss finally jerked away from Reid, stripping the younger man of his shirts and sweater, revealing even more smooth, pale skin. Her fingers inched their way under her blouse, into the cup of her bra to pinch her nipple. She shivered at the spike of sensation. It encouraged her to hike up her skirt with her other hand. She couldn't tear her eyes from the two men.

Not to be outdone, Reid was yanking off Hotchner's tie before attacking his shirt buttons. Several flying buttons later, he was as bare as Reid. Hotchner stepped backwards, carelessly slamming his office door. There was a loud thump against said door followed by an incredibly loud lust-filled moan.

She could easily imagine what was going in that office. The images made her hotter, restless, but she knew what could assuage that need. Prentiss slipped her fingers under the band of her panties but bigger, callus rough fingers beat her to the prize. Morgan's fingers pressed perfectly into her clit even as his teeth scraped against her pulse. Prentiss moaned as a hard heat thrust against her ass. "Oh yes."

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
J.J. and Rossi didn't see their co-workers jump each other.

They were too busy jumping each other.

Parts of their clothes were scattered about his office. She was perched on his desk. His salt and peppered head was buried between her legs, panties hanging by one trim ankle. Her moans and demands for more filled the room. He was more than happy to comply as one hand prepared her for his cock. The other hand was pumping his cock to fullness. She grabbed his head, pulling it up to capture his mouth with hers. He swallowed her groan as he sank inside.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
The conference table groaned under their combined weight, but Prentiss and Morgan could care less as she rode him hard. He kept sucking on her nipples and caressing her clit. Her nails raked up his back, drawing blood. Their mouths muffled each other's noises.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
"Aaron."

Hotchner absolutely loved making his name shiver and fall from Reid's lips. Loved the way Reid curled himself around his body, silky skin caressing against rough. Loved that Reid was quickly learning that his innocent kisses could entice not-so-innocent reactions from Hotchner. The younger man was wielding those damn kisses like blackmail, getting Hotchner to do whatever he wanted. Since it involved such pleasurable payment, Hotchner didn't mind playing along. He also loved the way Reid whispered shy pleas into ear; they made him absolutely crazy. He couldn't yank off the rest of their clothes fast enough.

He slid back into Reid's arms savoring Reid's hungry kisses before turning him around, bracing him against the large leather couch. Reid whimpered as Hotchner hiked his hips back. Hotchner grinned ferally presented with such a lovely view. His grin grew against the honeyed depths of Reid's ass when his tongue drew forth fevered gasps, pleas, and writhing. Gasps, pleas, and writhing turned into downright demands and thrusting when he drove his fingers in with his tongue. So beautifully tight, Reid's ass felt phenomenal as Hotchner sank inside.

Reid purred his approval throughout the entire slide inside, lunging back, impaling himself. "Aaron, move!" he demanded when Hotchner paused to savor the clingy heat of his ass.

Dark, dark laughter rumbled through Hotchner as he gripped slim hips, slowly withdrawing before sinking back in just as slowly. "No, I think I'm going to take my time."

Reid whimpered, head dropping for a moment, hair swinging forward to hide him from Hotchner. But to Hotchner's surprise, his head came back up, preceding the flow of his body upright. He clenched his teeth as the movement made Reid's inner muscles clamp down on his cock. He kissed a palm as Reid raised his arms to slide his hands into Hotchner's hair. He moved where those hands pulled him, straight into a hot kiss.

"Aaron," Reid breathed into their kiss, "take me."

He groaned, hips snapping forward, control fraying.

Low throaty laughter mingled in with a moan rewarded his loss of control.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Chapter Two

  
Hotchner smiled as he passed all of the people in the bullpen still fucking. He scratched his bare belly as he contemplated how three people could twist themselves into that configuration without breaking something. He stopped here and there to watch, but he didn't deter from his path to the break room. There he rummaged through the refrigerator for food. He hit the jackpot because it seemed as if today was someone's birthday. He found cake, an enormous sandwich tray, and an equally humungous fruit and cheese platter. He grabbed large helpings of everything, carefully juggling them as he headed back to his office.

He bypassed Morgan, who was too busy kissing and taking one of the secretaries, to answer Hotchner's greeting. Prentiss was also too busy as she was occupied with kissing one of the other female agents that was sandwiched between her and a security guard. The agent moaned loudly into Prentiss' mouth as the guard fucked her. He patted Prentiss on the ass but didn't stay to watch even though she grabbed at him.

He grinned at Reid, showing off his loot as he kicked the door closed. "Hungry?"

"Starving," Reid answered, standing to help his lover with the food.

Hotchner licked his lips when Reid bent over to retrieve bottles of water from his private stash in the little refrigerator he had installed in his office. After Reid had his fill of the food, he had plans to fully enjoy Reid's ass once again. He wanted to see what Reid would look like riding his cock.

As it turned out, Reid looked utterly wanton and delectable. Glossy sable hair bounced with Reid's every move. His skin glistened with sweat and Hotchner's kisses. Long, lean muscles tightened with pleasure, received and given. He sounded just as good too. Little "mmm's" and "oooh's" Hotchner had to taste. He laughed, bright and joyous, when after he'd climax, Hotchner flipped them, seeking his own.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Morgan woke up under Prentiss, JJ, and Mark Heller. They were all completely naked. He remembered every single second that lead up to him being under their pile of bodies. Aside from being extremely satisfied physically, he was still in too much shock to really judge the situation. Instead, he pushed himself to a sitting position. From where he sat, he could see Rossi in a pile of bodies over by the break room. He didn't see Hotchner or Reid; he hoped they were okay. He hoped that whoever ended with Reid took care of him. Otherwise, they were going to be on the team's shit list. The same went for Hotchner, of course, but Reid was their youngest. Their most vulnerable, in so many ways.

Searching his memories, he easily located his clothes. Putting his watch on, Morgan realized nearly eight hours had passed since his clothes came off. He had no idea what happened to them all, but he had team members to check on. Passing by Hotchner's office relieved several worries. Reid and Hotchner lay wrapped in each other's arms, fast asleep on Hotchner's couch.

An easy hike down the hall lead him to Garcia's lair. A quick peak in revealed Garcia and Kevin Lynch curled up together. Now that he knew everyone was all right, it was time to get help from the outside world. A quick recon told him several things:

1\. Everyone in the building had been affected. Everyone. From the janitors to the assistant directors, everyone had had a major case of uninhibited sex.

2\. People were starting to wake up.

3\. Something else had to have happened for no one to come looking when an entire building full of people did not come home after nearly a full work day and well into the evening. Something really, _really_ big.

Once Morgan reached the lobby and saw that outside the doors there were white tents and white and yellow Hazmat people, he knew he probably wasn't going to be getting any answers for at least a little while.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Hotchner leaned back against the hospital bed, surveying his people scattered throughout the CDC's tent. From what he could glean from eavesdropping and outright questioning, every major policing entity, as well as some political ones, had been hit by some drug that made everyone drop what they were doing and have sex with whomever was closest at hand. Sexual preference hadn't even come into play. Just sex.

_Thank God animals aren't allowed in most public buildings,_ he perversely thought. Hotchner mentally slapped himself. Now was not the time but it helped him keep his mind from wandering to where it ought not to go. Like how Reid was entirely too far away and entirely too dressed. Yet, Hotchner cocked his head, eyes narrowing as he watched Reid rub his arms and shiver, apparently, not dressed enough. Before he even realized he was moving, he was grabbing the unused blanket from the end of his bed and had crossed the tent.

Reid stared up at him in surprise, mouth working but no sound coming out. Hotchner wrapped him up in the blanket, finding himself reluctant to let go of its edges.

"Thank you," Reid murmured.

"You're welcome."

And that was the end of that. He really should go back to his own bed and leave Reid alone. The young man couldn't possibly want any of his attentions for the foreseeable future. He had barely stepped a foot back when Reid grabbed his hands lightening quick. Hotchner stared down at him. "Sp-Reid?"

"Stay?"

He nodded before he thought about it, unable to deny those big multi-hued eyes. Hotchner frowned at the tiny bed but felt his lips quirk when Reid hip-walked himself down towards the end of the bed. Loud and clear, Reid wanted to be surrounded by Hotchner, obviously not traumatized by their time together. Hotchner swallowed his sigh of relief when Reid settled back into his arms and only he heard Reid's sigh. Unless this was a variation of Stockholm syndrome, Reid was definitely not traumatized. "All right?"

Reid nodded, sinking deeper and deeper into Hotchner's arms. "What do you think happened?"

"A chemical of some kind." He couldn't resist the sweet call of Reid's hair. Even after hours of sweaty sex and a brisk cold decontamination shower, his hair smelled soft and clean. Not sterile like the soap and shampoo the Hazmat team had shoved at them. He curled more closely around Reid's body, tucking the blanket in.

"I heard someone say that the Capitol building was also contaminated."

Every movement of Reid's lips against his throat made him forget. Forget control, forget that Reid preferred little blondes, forget they were in public. All Hotchner wanted was to peel everything off Reid's delectable body and blanket it with himself. He yanked on the reins of his demons, ruthlessly controlling mind and body. His voice betrayed none of his struggle as he answered, "I heard the same thing. The news should be very interesting tonight."

Reid chuckled against his throat, his body quivering with laughter. "Wasn't there a special session of Congress being held?"

Hotchner made an affirmative noise that turned into a surprised noise. He looked down to see Reid playing with his fingers. The other man seemed to do it unconsciously, like the coin he rolled with startling ease across his knuckles. He cleared his throat, pretending to ignore their laced fingers. "Yes. A joint meeting between the President, Vice-President, select members of the Cabinet and Congress."

It was Reid's turn to clear his throat. "It, uh, was televised, wasn't it?"

Hotchner smothered his laughter in Reid's hair but nodded all the same.

"_Really_ interesting news coverage."

Hotchner laughed.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Chapter Three

  
Hotchner had to drag himself into work two days after the Incident. After the CDC let everyone go home, he had trudged back to the house he had been occupying since the divorce. He climbed into a cold, empty bed. After having Reid in his arms for most of the day and night, it was sheer, unmitigated loneliness. He was pretty sure he had bruises from shoving and pushing against the mattress in restless frustration. He spent the next two days at home, due to enforced days off, rattling around the house. He hadn't even been able to see Jack because Haley was off visiting friends with him.

Finally, the brass decided to let people go back to work. According to the report that had been emailed to him as a division head, the CDC hadn't found much. Evidence had not been found at any of the locations except for large canisters attached to outside air conditioning vents. A federal investigation involving several branches of the government was being launched to find the perpetrators and the reason behind the attack. There were also rumblings from the scientific community about what had caused the massive, widespread orgy.

Meanwhile, lawmakers were scrambling to fend off reporters from all across the planet. The press had converged on D.C. with the ferocity of locusts, hyenas, and sharks combined. Hotchner was pretty sure that several of the "stars" of the televised meeting between the President and his Cabinet with Congress wished that everything could be swept under the rug. There was, of course, lots of interesting reactions across America.

Personally, while he was interested in seeing the outcome of this debacle, Hotchner had other problems, namely his preoccupation with Reid. The sleepless nights and this tight, God-awful overall tension did not help. Animal instincts clawed against his control, demanding that he find Reid, that he take what was his. Rational thought hammered those urges down the last two days, but Hotchner could feel the reins slipping from his grasp.

He feared what would happen when finally faced with Reid.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Hotchner figured today, he was the luckiest bastard ever. He came into his office to find a voicemail on his machine. Reid had asked for another day off. His message said he was coming down with a summer cold and didn't feel up to coming in. Hotchner had absolutely no problem with this. Today would be rough enough without the added distraction of his reactions to his . . . lover? One night stand? He shook his head. His reactions to Reid. His agent.

"Hey, there's something on about what happened the other day!"

  
The exclamation had the entire bullpen crowded into the conference room, latecomers having to stand outside. Unable to resist the draw, Hotchner had followed the call. As the boss, he rated a front row seat in front of the television. In his periphery, he saw his agents also taking prime spots.

On the television, a mousy, dishwater blonde stepped hesitantly towards a microphone-laden podium. "G-good morning. My name is Dr. Susan Whitlock. I created the gas that infected Capitol Hill two days ago."

  
Reporters roared, jumping to their feet, screaming their questions, shoving more microphones at her. Generally acting like the press. They realized the nervous scientist wouldn't say more until they settled so settle they did.

  
She licked her lips, staring down at what had to be a pre-written speech. "I originally created the gas for personal use but when I realized the dangerous side effects, I discontinued my research. Unfortunately, it was stolen from my lab more than six months ago."

  
It was quite obvious that the reporters wanted to jump up again and that she was clearly waiting for their reaction. When they didn't, she continued, "The chemical is, in reality, aerosolized nanites. The nanites carry with them aphrodisiacs such as methylenedioxypyrovalerone, yohimbine, bremelanotide, among others. It was supposed to be the basis for perfume to attract and lower the inhibitions of either sex, but the addition of the aphrodisiacs to the nanites had an unintended side effect I termed 'bonding'."

  
"When I tested the perfume on primates, I found that not only did the chemicals lower inhibitions and increase the libido, it bonded subjects that had compatible biochemistry." Dr. Whitlock took a deep breath. It was a sign that the other shoe was going to drop. "The bonding of subjects exhibited necessary mating every 72 hours. Without the necessary mating, if the subjects were kept apart for any reason, they became agitated, almost violent. Forty-eight hours after the symptoms occurred and mating has not, death was inevitable for both bonded subjects."

  
All Hotchner could think was, "Holy shit."

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Morgan watched as shock dropped Hotchner's features. The other man stared at the television but clearly did not see it. While Hotchner stared unseeing, his hands were clenching and unclenching, sweat gleamed and his breathing shallowed to pants. He had been edgy and tense all day.

Prentiss leaned over, voice low. "Is it just me or is Hotch--"

"Acting like a bonded man who's going through the withdrawal?" Morgan threw out quietly, still watching his boss. "Oh yeah."

"You're going to talk to him, right?"

He saw the way she was inching away. "Girl," he warned.

"What am I going to say to him? 'Hotch, find Reid and get laid?'" she hissed.

"What do you think _I'm_ gonna say?" he asked incredulously, eyes wide.

"Well, it would sound better coming from you!"

"It would sound better coming from you!"

Before their conversation could become full-blown bickering, Rossi stepped between them. "We'll all go."

JJ stood behind him, nodding her head.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Okay, so when Rossi said they should all go talk to Hotchner, Morgan thought that meant that the older profiler was going to take the hit and do all the talking. The rest of the team was supposed to stand back and look appropriately intimidating. Yeah, that didn't happen. Before anyone could even open their mouth, Hotchner beat them to it.

"I need to get to Reid's." He practically spit out those words.

Morgan broke every speed limit law known to man getting Hotchner from the FBI building to Reid's apartment. In the passenger seat, Hotchner white-knuckled the armrests, not from his driving but because of that damn gas. Tremors quaked through his body and sweat dotted his skin.

  
Hotchner ripped at his tie, panting harshly. "Morgan."

  
"Almost there." The car finally screeched to a halt in front of Reid's building. Morgan barely parked the car before jumping out. He still wasn't fast enough to catch Hotchner as the other man surged into the building, climbing the four flights of stairs as if they were one. Morgan forced his legs up and down faster to keep up with him. He reached the landing just in time to see Hotchner break down Reid's door. Adrenaline propelled him through the door, fear made him grab for Hotchner, afraid he would hurt Reid in this state. But he missed. He jerked to a stop at the partially demolished bedroom door.

"Whoa!" Which he quickly slammed shut, after he saw his friends liplocked. "Jesus, where's the soap?"

Only for the sake of his friends did Morgan stick around. He wanted to make sure they would both be okay. Not only from the effects of the nanites but also from each other. He was pretty sure Hotchner would be okay, but Reid didn't stand a chance against their former SWAT boss if he was provoked. Otherwise, he would have been long gone before now.

  
Instead, he was trying to fix Reid's apartment door, trying to ignore the moans and wails and thumping and bedsprings creaking coming from the bedroom the best he could. Morgan wondered if all that was because of the drugs. Man, it would totally screw up his world view if it wasn't. Hotchner was the dependable, solid, authority figure. Reid was the shy, babbly, virgin. And never in a million years would Morgan ever put the two of them together in the same equation as sex.

  
No matter what Prentiss, Garcia, and JJ had said about Reid being pretty as hell or how Hotchner was seriously hot stuff, had he ever thought of them as sexual beings. But the gas had changed all that. Hell, JJ was still blushing every time Rossi even spoke.

  
At least he and Prentiss were okay. After their eight hour fuck session, they had pulled on their clothes and talked about it. They had both reached one main conclusion: they had both been under the effects of some kind of drug because, while each thought the other was attractive, they did not find each attractive in an "I've always lusted after you" kind of way. Being profilers did wonders for their communication because they could spot each other's lies before they had even opened their mouths. Having confirmation that their conclusion about being drugged only added to their communication. As a result, he and Prentiss were cool.

  
Garcia and Lynch were ecstatic in comparison. Moments before he noticed Hotchner's condition, Garcia had confided in him that she thought she and Kevin were bonded. She had told him with a big grin before twiddling her fingers at her boyfriend. Lynch seemed to have realized this as well and seemed euphoric. He couldn't be happier for her, especially after that whole Baylor debacle. JJ and Rossi, on the other, were anything but. The two of them avoided each other as much as possible. Easily done since the government had practically come to a halt.

  
Fallout from the televised Executive and Congressional Meeting was still rolling in, and small matters like stopping crime had taken a backseat to the question of whether or not the entire U.S. government could be impeached for unbecoming conduct. The calls for impeachment were, of course, coming from homophobes who saw any deviance from their perfect norm as scandalous. The rest of America just wanted to know what the hell was going on with the government and whether they could get their hands on the gas too. Apparently, the broadcasted orgy was pretty hot.

  
Seeing as how the president had been likened to an older George Clooney and the Secret Service agent that had been his partner in crime bore a striking resemblance to Brad Pitt, Morgan was not surprised.

  
~*~*~*~*~

  
The bedroom door offered no resistance as Hotchner barreled through it. He jerked to a stop just inside, eyes frantically searching for Reid.

  
"Aaron?" Grateful relief, undisguised desire, and overwhelming fear infused a word that should have only been moaned in pleasure.

  
"Spencer." Clothing tore, falling to the floor shredded and unheeded. He forced his shaking hands to gentle their touch as he cupped Reid's head. Soft, sweat-damp hair reminded him not to increase Reid's already painful anxiety. "I'm here."

  
Reid surged upwards as Hotchner leaned over, mouths fusing in desperate need. His hands left Reid's hair, fingers scrambling against loose cotton sleep pants, finally succeeding in sliding them down. Twin moans echoed when his hands cupped a luscious ass. Reid used his shoulders as leverage to pull himself up, kicking off his pants. He used the same hold to pull Hotchner down and between his long legs.

  
"Aaron, I need. . ."

  
"Yes." Hotchner took another deep kiss. "Do you have--"

  
"No." Heat from embarrassment overtook the bloom of passion from Reid's cheeks. "No, I--"

  
"Shhh." He kissed away the embarrassment and brought back the passion. It was how Reid should always look. "We don't need it."

  
Reid whined, low, urgent. "But I want--"

  
"We will," he promised, sliding two fingers into Reid's mouth. His feral grin would have scared Reid if he hadn't closed his eyes to better concentrate on sucking the two fingers. When Hotchner dropped his other hand down to his slim cock, the feral grin grew as Reid moaned and sucked fiercely on his fingers, biting down just hard enough to keep them in his mouth, betraying his arousal. He pumped, hard and slow, just to hear Reid's delicious noises. Hotchner had discovered that Reid always made a lot of noise when he was overwhelmed. He loved overwhelming him.

  
He especially loved the lovely noises Reid made when he slid inside for the first time. The young man literally cooed then purred. Remembrance was enough to shake his control, slamming him with lust.

Reid mewled when Hotchner took his fingers away but gladly lifted his hips, surging down onto saliva-slick fingers.

Hotchner watched his lover impale himself on his fingers. He automatically used the wetness from Reid's cock to slick his own.

"Aaron," Reid whimpered, eyes fever bright, hands clutching at his shoulders. Long legs wrapped themselves around his hips, urging him down into the cradle of his body. "I need you."

Hotchner sank inside Reid with a sigh of relief. Now familiar heat and tightness engulfed his cock making him moan. "Oh yes."

Agreement moaned into his ear, quickly consumed by his mouth. With such consuming desire, finesse went out the window, and rutting was all that remained. Neither man cared, wanting only each other.

The little mind Hotchner had left forced him to stave off Reid's climax. "I'm sorry," he whispered against their kiss. Words turning into a groan of orgasm.

"Aaron? What the hell . . . why did you?" Reid was shoving at his shoulders, eyes spitting fire for a denied release but need still etched on his face. Anger drained away, replaced by a low keening when Hotchner pulled out and slid down, devouring his entire cock in one smooth, deep swallow. Already on the edge of the precipice, Reid fell into his orgasm.

Hotchner licked up every last bit of his lover, dragging himself up Reid's body to gather him in his arms, before blanketing the younger man with his own.

Reid sighed soft sounds of relief and satiation into his ear. He sighed his own satisfaction into his mate's silky hair.

  
"Aaron, what just happened?"

  
He pulled back to gaze into eyes clear from lust and pain. He explained the bonding and everything he knew about the nanites.

  
Reid nodded slowly throughout before flushing red. "I'm sorry you're. . .ah . . .stuck with me."

  
"I'm sorry you're stuck with me." Hotchner frowned when Reid wouldn't meet his eyes.

  
"That's-that's okay." Reid struggled to untangle their limbs, stumbling out of bed, only barely catching himself from falling face first into the floor.

  
Hotchner watched, studying the other man's movements and the expressions flying over his face. Realization hit, he jumped out of bed, grabbing Reid's delicate wrist just as he reached the door. He forcibly pulled the younger man into the curve of his body. Reid didn't struggle but was stiff for the first time in his arms. Hotchner wrapped a steely arm around his waist to keep him pressed tight against the sharper angles and longer lines of his body. Hotchner speared his other hand into Reid's hair, tilting his head back to make him meet his eyes. "Spencer, are you gay?"

  
Stiff limbs became iron and ice. Cognac eyes were concealed behind their lids, trying to hide the truth from Hotchner's own. But he read the truth in the silence. The lust rising through his veins had nothing to do with the nanites and everything to do with the beautiful, shy young man in his arms. His hand rose to join its mate in Reid's hair angling his mouth perfectly to be ravaged with hungry kisses. He surged in, taking advantage of Reid's shocked gasps. Hotchner twisted them around, couldn't get them on the bed fast enough.

  
Reid made those delicious coos and purrs again when Hotchner spread his legs and slid inside his still loose body. He relished the short nails biting into his shoulders. Relished the long legs wrapped around his hips, urging him into every pounding thrust. Could not get enough of the lovely, lovely noises his lover made as he reached his climax. Hotchner thrust once more into Reid's body, emptying himself before collapsing into Reid's arms.

  
"That," he hissed out, leaning back, eyes boring into Reid's, "had nothing to do with the damn nanites."

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
Chapter Four

  
"I'll be right back." Hotchner didn't wait for anyone to answer, but he did squeeze Reid's hand before bolting back into his house. A shirt-change later he was back in the SUV with Reid and Morgan. Compared to this morning, the second time he left his house today, he was feeling a hell of a lot better. Twining his fingers with Reid's, he knew it all had to do with the young man beside him. They really hadn't had time to speak about what was going on between them, but the way Reid curled around his arm spoke of a possible good future.

Morgan drove back to the federal building at a much more sedate pace than he had away from it. The car was companionably silent; the trip back ordinary in the best of ways. Once back at the BAU offices, predictably, the women converged on Reid. Hotchner and Morgan exchanged conspiratorial looks; making their getaway quickly and silently. Mere seconds later they were joined by Rossi.

"I take it everything is all right?" Rossi didn't bother hiding his smirk.

Hotchner mentally rolled his eyes. "Yes. Everything's fine."

"Good, glad to hear it."

Hotchner glared, then let his lips lift into their own smirk. "And how are things between you and JJ?"

Morgan barked out laughter, rapidly smothering it at Rossi's killing glower.

"We're fine." His tone was final in the extreme.

Hotchner chose to ignore it. "If fine means you still can't look each other in the eye. . ."

"Hotchner."

He backed off, fighting a grin and holding up his arms in surrender. "Any new cases?"

Rossi was clearly relieved to get back to business. Morgan was still gleefully smirking but readily fell into their work.

"Agent Hotchner?"

Hotchner looked up from the files Rossi had placed before him to see Director Strauss' secretary. "Yes?"

"The director asked me to give this to you." She stepped into the room, maneuvering around Rossi and Morgan to hand him a file.

He nodded his thanks as he started to read the report within the folder. Distractedly, he asked the two men to gather the team. Once everyone was gathered in the conference room, Hotchner decided to share his news before starting the briefing for their next case.

"The attack wasn't politically motivated." Hotchner barely glanced up at his team, eyes going back to the brief.

  
"It wasn't?" Morgan leaned forward, trying to read over his boss' shoulder.

  
"No." Hotchner passed the brief to Morgan, dropping back into his chair with uncharacteristic exhaustion. "The World Bank was hit. Their computers were accessed on-site and a 'loan' of five billion dollars was sent to a Cayman account that was immediately emptied."

  
"This says there was video of the unauthorized transfer." Morgan passed the papers on, only skimming it.

  
Reid, who had started reading the brief over Morgan's shoulder, was now on the second page. "The thieves wore gas masks and gloves. No distinguishable marks could be discerned. And all access cards used were literally picked off the floor."

  
"But why only five billion?" JJ asked, brow furrowed. "Don't they make loans in the hundred billion dollar range?"

  
"Five billion is the capping point," Prentiss explained. "Authorization by three senior executives is needed for any amount more than that five billion." She lowered her head in embarrassment when everyone on the team stared. "The things you learn by being an ambassador's daughter," she joked awkwardly.

  
Garcia patted her hand. Prentiss relaxed further when Hotchner nodded.

"So, what's the federal task force going to do now?" Rossi asked, barely glimpsing at the report as it went by.

"Keep investigating," Hotchner answered. "Much like we will be doing for our next case."

Everyone understood the unspoken: life was going on regardless of what had happened regarding the "Cupid's Arrow" chemical.

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
"Morgan, could I, ah, talk to you?"

Morgan froze when he heard the trepidation in Prentiss' voice. Before turning to face her, he sent a quick prayer upwards. Please, God. Honestly, he had no idea what he was praying for, but just the tone of her voice was enough to get him started. He yanked in fortifying air then turned. "Hey, Prentiss, sure."

She was twisting her fingers but her face was calm. Her dark liquid eyes met his. Her hands palmed her stomach.

"Oh, my God," he breathed, knees suddenly jelly and head nothing but blank air.

"Morgan!" Prentiss grabbed his arms, steering him to a chair. Her words tumbled and twirled in the air; in his daze, Morgan only caught every other but that was enough.

"Paternity test?"

She rolled her eyes, huffing. "You weren't the only guy that day."

He slowly nodded. "That's true."

"So will you do it?" She straightened, arms crossed.

"Just tell me when and where." Morgan could feel coherence flowing back into his mind. Thinking about it rationally, there was a chance he was the father of her baby but there was a chance he wasn't. Either way, he had to prepare himself. "So, you're keeping it?"

Prentiss nodded, a smile tilting her lips. "My parents will be happy with a grandchild." Her smiled twisted. "I think."

"And the father? What kind of role do you want him to play?"

"I guess that depends on who the father is." Her light bark of laughter was self-deprecating. "If it was you?" Morgan nodded. "I'd like you to be part of our lives."

He could tell from the way she said it, she wanted a good father for her child but not a life partner. Silence rose and fell as he thought about that. He wasn't ready for a committed relationship, but an on-call dad gig? That he could do. He grinned up at her. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Her smile became genuinely happy. "I'd like that too."

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

  
"Hi."

Hotchner was smiling before he even lifted his head from the paperwork spread before him. "Hi."

"Can I?" Reid gestured to the chair.

"Actually." Hotchner stood, joining him at the door. He laced their fingers together, using them to tug him into the office, and closed the door. He led Reid over to the couch that held so many pleasurable memories. Those memories had to be playing in Reid's mind too; he was flushing a pretty, pretty pink. "Everything okay?"

Reid nodded but then stopped, shaking his head. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Instead, he curled around their entwined arms and hands, laying his head on Hotchner's shoulder.

Hotchner waited, knowing time was all he needed.

"What are we doing? What happens now? I mean, are we friends with b-benefits? More? Less? I don't know and I can't stop thinking about it! I mean, do you even want more? You're married. Or, you were! Are you ready for a new relationship? Do you want a relationship? And what about Director Strauss? Is she going to transfer me to another team? That would be hypocritical of her since she's bonded to her secretary, but she still has the power and the option, right?"

"Spencer, breathe." Hotchner smiled as Reid automatically inhaled air. He was amused at the other man's looping thoughts. But after years of listening to his long streams of consciousness, Hotchner knew exactly what Reid wanted to know. "If you'd like, I'd like to try dating."

Luminous eyes filled with hope and happiness. "Really?"

Hotchner's smile grew then melted into their kiss. "Really," he breathed against Reid's wet lips, unable to resist nibbling them once more. A few more kissed reassurances later, Hotchner escorted Reid to the door, finally relinquishing the hold on his hand. It was a formality since everyone knew, but it was always best to keep work work and personal life personal.

On his office's threshold, Reid stopped and turned.

"Spencer?" He leaned down, ready to give more assurances that this relationship was wanted, not forced, if necessary. He was relieved to see tilted corners on his lover's lips.

Reid's smile was shy but flirtatiously so. "Would you like to come to dinner?"

  
"Dinner?" Hotchner leaned even closer, his lips twitched up into an answering smile.

  
"Just chili and a loaf of French bread." Reid shifted closer. Close enough for their fingers to brush. "Some cold beer."

  
He didn't know if the chili was homemade or store bought but frankly, Hotchner didn't care. He hadn't felt the rush of warmth and excitement from a simple dinner invitation in a very long time. "That sounds perfect. Meet at your place?"

  
Reid nodded, then his smile grew even more shy, intriguing Hotchner enough to bend even closer.

  
"Spencer?" He tipped up Reid's chin with a loosely curled fist.

  
"Maybe . . . maybe you should pack a bag?"

  
He was utterly charmed by a bold suggestion delivered in a quiet, afraid-to-be-heard voice. "I'd love to."

  
Reid's smile was sheer relief. He nodded so hard his hair swung to and fro. "I'll see you in a bit."

~*~*~*~*~

"What was all that about?" Morgan asked, hitching a hip up on Reid's desk.

  
Reid purposefully did not look up from tidying his work area. "Just inviting Hotch to dinner."

  
"Just dinner?"

  
He could hear Morgan's eyebrows waggling. Reid's amazing mind clicked away, trying to find an answer that wouldn't embarrass the hell out of himself. He settled on simply shrugging a shoulder and keeping his head down.

  
"Dinner? I'm starving."

  
"Me too."

  
Reid flicked his eyes up to see Prentiss and JJ join Morgan at the edge of his desk. He barely bit back the groan at their knowing smiles.

  
"Hey, baby girl, you and Kevin hungry?"

  
"I could eat," Garcia allowed, grinning.

  
"I could eat a cow." Kevin was also grinning as he draped an arm around his girlfriend.

This time Reid didn't hold back the groan, dropping his head in defeat. "Would all of you like to come to dinner?"

  
"We'd looooove to." Morgan's grin was wide and mischievous. His grin grew as he watched someone over Reid's shoulder.

  
"Bring bread and beer." Droll and dry were how the words fell from Hotchner's mouth.

  
Reid relaxed into the hand Hotchner placed low on his back. He was so tempted to curl into his lover's big warm body that he didn't realize he was doing so until he saw the wide smiles on his teammates' faces. He could feel the red creeping up his neck and into his cheeks.

  
"Let's get out of here," Hotchner urged, arm still around Reid's waist, keeping firmly attached to his side. The other arm gently swung his briefcase to press their team out of the bullpen and towards the elevators.

  
The laughter and banter cocooned Reid, making him smile softly. His lover's hand was warm and solid against the small of his back, he felt treasured and loved. Life was so good.

  
Epilogue

  
"Oh, pass the potato salad, please."

"Has anyone seen the juice?"

"Here, let me get that for you."

"Derek!" Prentiss faked a glare at him. "I'm pregnant, not an invalid."

Morgan smirked. "I wasn't sure you could see where you going with that bowl and that belly. Hey! Ow!"

Everyone laughed as Prentiss continue to attack him.

"Not fair when he can't fight back, Emily." Hotchner's words were entwined with his laughter. He palmed Reid's shoulder to keep his balance as he placed the tray of hamburgers and hot dogs on the table, giving it a lingering caress as he straightened. His backyard was full to overflowing with his team and their laughter. It was a beautiful spring day in D.C., his son was laughing delightedly as Reid showed him yet another magic trick. Together those things made the day perfect.

He watched for a moment before dropping a kiss on Jack's forehead and one on Reid's lips. He smothered more laughter as this time it was JJ and LaMontagne who were arguing over whether or not a pregnant woman should be doing something. He could see Morgan and LaMontagne sharing commiserating looks behind the backs of the mothers-to-be. He could also see the women rolling their eyes at the overprotective fathers. Hotchner exchanged laughing looks with Rossi and Helen, his current lady love.

"Hi, everyone! Sorry we're late!"

Hotchner smiled, coming forward to greet Garcia and Lynch. "Glad you could make it."

"The caterers were running late, so we're running late," Lynch informed them all as his fiancée was hugging and laughing with her teammates. He carefully handed over the huge cake he was carrying.

"How are the wedding plans going?" Reid asked as he came over, carrying Jack on his hip. Jack's little hand was twisted in Reid's button-down shirt while the fingers of his other hand twirled in Reid's hair. Hotchner totally sympathized with his son's need to play with that soft hair.

"Great!" Lynch's grin was huge. "She's no bridezilla, thank God!" His grin got even bigger as he watched Morgan and LaMontagne pile enormous heaps of food onto Prentiss and JJ's plates.

"C'mon," Hotchner herded them all to the table. He looped an arm around Reid's waist, palming his hip. Reid smiled up at him, lifting his lips up in an unspoken request. Hotchner smiled into their kiss at the sound of Jack's giggles.

Life after Cupid's Arrow was different, but it was definitely for the better.

  
The End


End file.
